Guggenheim heir launches $50 million fund for media and creator startups.

Guggenheim Brothers Media has raised $50 million with backing from Abu Dhabi’s Ethmar to invest in US media, entertainment and creator-economy startups, and its founders outlined four focus areas: creator businesses, franchise extensions, advertiser-focused creator platforms, and measurement tools.

Guggenheim Brothers Media has launched a $50 million fund to back media, entertainment and creator-economy startups. The fund is backed by Abu Dhabi-based Ethmar International Holding. It is led by Dillon Lawson-Johnston and Criswell Fiordalis, who bring experience in talent, production and legacy media. The founders said they will leverage Hollywood networks and the UAE’s growing cultural investment interest. Key details: - The fund was announced with $50 million in initial capital and is backed by Ethmar International Holding, an Abu Dhabi investment firm. - Leaders Dillon Lawson-Johnston and Criswell Fiordalis have backgrounds in talent representation and media companies; Lawson-Johnston is a descendant of Solomon R. Guggenheim and his family’s Guggenheim Abu Dhabi project is due to open in 2026. - Planned check sizes are reported as $2 million to $5 million, with an initial target of investing in about 10 to 15 companies and an aim to grow the fund to as much as $75 million. - The founders identified four focus areas: creators reducing reliance on single personalities, extensions of Hollywood franchises into digital, platforms connecting mid-tier creators with brands, and tools to standardize creator measurement. - The founders said they plan to deploy capital mainly in the US, and cited industry context such as an Interactive Advertising Bureau estimate that advertisers would spend about $37 billion with creators in 2025. Summary: The fund targets companies across creator businesses, franchise extensions, brand-creator platforms, and measurement solutions, reflecting both entertainment experience and interest from Gulf investors in cultural projects. The managers plan $2 million to $5 million investments across roughly 10 to 15 companies, aim to focus deployment in the US, and have stated a goal of expanding the fund to around $75 million as a next step.